CODE ENTRY: Quarian Culture (Relationships)
The Quarian culture is something not easily understood by outsiders, & due to their virtual isolation on The Migrant Fleet their lifestyle & culture has developed uninhibited by other races. As their first priority is the survival & efficiency of the Fleet, homosexuality is viewed as a taboo, but can be pardoned by the Admiralty Board. Still, the general outlook of it is negative. However, in recent years, due to a mild population decrease, homosexuality has been the cause of multiple exiles in the Fleet. Also considered a taboo is relationships crossing biologic boundaries, such as with Humans or Geth. Though much more rare considering their isolation, in recent years, due to exposure to new groups in the galaxy, it has become more common.
Families are permitted one birth, & are typically close-knit. Relationships between Quarians are based on a loose set of courtship boundaries; male Quarians must have fulfilled their Pilgrimage & have a place on a crew, so to support their family, while female Quarians must have their father’s consent (seeing as there is always a risk the mother will die in childbirth) before initiating a relationship. This consent is held in high esteem, & couples rejected by the female’s father usually live in outcast compared to other couples, but due to the closeness of the Quarian community disowning is rare, & usually only happens when a child is exiled or doesn’t return from their Pilgrimage. Other courtship rituals include linking enviro-suits & sharing family stories. Quarians must be “joined” before committing to a sexual act, but Quarians often discuss their future child & family during courtship to create stronger ties.
The final process of courtship is to be “joined”, which involves the trading of goods between the couple’s families (usually involving tools or weapons). The female’s family gives a weapon to the male, & the male’s family gives a tool to the female. Then both families unite as one to give the couple their first quilt for their living space. After this the couple joins enviro-suits, & the process is complete. Afterwards there is usually a small celebration involving dance & food & storytelling, which the families are part of, as well as the crew of the ship.
Polygamy is an uncommon occurrence in Quarian culture, & is usually frowned upon as it evokes the idea of disloyalty between the two of the couple. However, Quarians are permitted ‘brothers’ & ‘sisters’, which represents a solid, almost extreme, platonic relationship between Quarians. This is similar to courtship, but is usually only conducted during childhood, before a Pilgrimage is taken. Both families must consent to the ‘sibling’; usually the ‘siblings’ have already bonded & most likely have grown up together. The reason for ‘sibling’ bonding is to strengthen family communication, & overall, ship relations, but also improve the thought loneliness of a single Quarian child. After their Pilgrimage Quarians join their new ship, & due to the closeness of siblings & families, once again regain contact with them. This improves ship relations. Siblings are rarely found once in adulthood, as it is believed Quarians grow out of the desire to have a personal platonic bond, & must then focus on finding a mate.
Quarians are very close-knit & based on loyalty & trust. Crews often share the accomplishments or woes of a single Quarian; they celebrate births & joinings, & grieve deaths. Quarians enjoy this part of their culture, & embrace it as the basis of their people. Treason (disloyalty to the crew or family unity, but mostly just to crew) can be reason for exile. Turning on one’s own people is viewed as the ultimate sin, & even if the accusation is revoked, Quarians still have a negative outlook of the accused. Most who are accused commit suicide in their dishonor.